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There is no denying that Oprah is the queen of talk. But, many fans of the megastar say they are being duped by companies trying to cash in on the Oprah name.
Meghan Duff of Menlo Park thought she had found herself a good diet supplement in the Acai berry.
"It seemed on most of the web pages they were saying Dr. Oz and Oprah were all endorsing these products, and she may have actually had a show on it. And, I thought I'd give it a try," she explained.
Sharon Francis of Lafayette saw the same ads. Like Duff, she liked the idea she could try it for days, for free. But, when she tried to return the pills she ran into a wall.
"So, I called and I kept getting cut off. And, then I would call and get an operator saying the lines are all busy, please try your call later," she said.
She contacted 7 On Your Side and we contacted the company. She has now received a full refund of her $85.
Gene O'Neil is president of the Better Business Bureau of the Golden Gate. He says Sharon's experience is typical of trial offers.
"The pitfalls with the trial offer is canceling it, is getting out of it. And, a company that is not particularly reputable can stonewall that cancellation of the process," he explained.
Sharon ordered her pills from Central Coast Neautraceuticals out of Phoenix, a company that gets an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau.
The company says it is working with the Arizona Attorney General to clarify its trial offer and refund policy.
Duff was unable to get a refund from acaislimberry.com, but the company has shut down its website.
"It's been rather spotty. There are several companies and for the most part I'd have to say they're riding the wave," O'Neill says.
The companies seem to be capitalizing on Dr. Oz's appearance on Oprah when he talked about the benefits of eating the acai berry. But, what is important to know is that he did not endorse it in its pill form.
And, a senior scientist at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute says you do not need the berry to live a healthy life.
"Berries aren't a bad thing. But it's not going to be the magic pill. The magic pill is eating a good balanced diet," offers Dr. Bruce Ames.
Ames says that means eating your fruits and vegetables. And, he warns eating junk food can lead to premature aging.
In all 7 On Your Side has received 18 complaints about orders related to the acai berry. About half of those people have been able to get refunds.
By the way, the folks at Oprah Winfrey show issued this statement:
"Consumers should be aware that Oprah Winfrey is not associated with, nor does she endorse any acai berry product. Attorneys for Harpo are pursuing any companies that claim such an affiliation."
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